Control mechanism for a lithographic printing press



Oct. 18, 1966 L. MESTRE 3,279,371

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 27, 19645 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR LUIS MESTRE BY winmm ATTORNEY.

0t.' 1s, 19ss L. MESTRE 3,279,371

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC PR INTING PRESS Filed Aug. 27, 19645 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LUIS MESTRE MQWW ATTORNEY.

Oct. 18, 1966 L. MESTRE 3,279,371

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 27, 19645 Sheets-Sheet 5 77 LATCH 46 RACK INVENTOR LUDIS MESTRE ATTORNEY.

L. MESTRE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug.27, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 w DK INVENTOR LUIS MESTRE Oct. 18, 1966 1..MESTRE 3,279,371

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 27, 19645 Sheets-Sheet 5 CY'LTWER INVENTOR LUIS MESTRE BY ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,279,371 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A LITHOGRAPHICPRINTING PRESS Luis Mestre, 305 E. 46th St, New York, N.Y. Filed Aug.27, 1964, Ser. No. 392,516 16 Claims. (Cl. 101-352 The invention relatesto a control mechanism for at least an inking unit for a printing press.It also relates to a control mechanism for a combination of inking unitand water or fluid unit. The invention also relates to the inking unitas well as to an inking unit and fluid unit combination. The units areillustrated as applied to that type of printing press having a platecylinder, a blanket cylinder and an impression cylinder. The platecylinder is adapted to carry a plate to which the ink is applied. Wateror fluid applied to the plate, which is particularly illustrated herein,is applied to a transfer roll which is in contact with a form roll sothat the ink and fluid are mixed as the ink and fluid mixture istransferred to the plate.

It is an object of the invention to construct a new form of controlmechanism for the form rolls of an inking unit.

Another object of the invention is as above and also to so construct thecontrol mechanism that it cannot be inadvertently shifted to idle pressposition or so-called night latch position.

A further object is to construct the mechanism to control theapplication of both ink and fluid from one operating handle.

Again it is an object as in the preceding paragraph to have the steps ofcontrol first to bring the form rolls into contact with an ink transferroll, secondly, to feed fluid to the plate and, thirdly, to project theform rolls into contact with the plate and the reverse steps.

A still further object is to construct a new control connection for aform roll control mechanism for halting and restoring the feeding of inkfrom the ink reservoir.

Another object is to construct an inking unit having the mounting meansfor each form roll include arms which are moved longitudinal to shiftthe form rolls into and away from contact with the plate and which aremoved pivotally to move the rolls to and away from the ink transferroll.

A further object is to construct a new control means for the applicationof water in the printing process.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, in reduced scale, of the inking unit and thefluid unit and a portion of the press with the parts in printingposition;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 in full scale butwithout the ink oscillator roll and the fluid unit;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 in full scale butwithout the ink oscillator roll;

FIG. 4 is a view in reduced scale as in FIG. 1 with the form rolls inidle or night position;

FIG. 5 is a detail side view of the mounting means for the form rollstaken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3 as far as the eccentrics and mounting meansarms are concerned and with one frame plate cut away to show the seriesof rolls for the inking unit and the fluid unit; and

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view with the frame and eccentric in sectiontaken on line 66 of FIG. 4, showing one of the mounting means for a formroll.

The press includes a plate cylinder 10 which carries a plate (not shown)bearing the printing material. The plate of the plate cylinder contactsa blanket cylinder to which the ink impression is transferred from theplate and there is an impression cylinder (not shown) in contact withthe blanket cylinder between which the sheets of paper are fed so thatthe ink impression on the blanket cylinder is applied to the sheet. Theinking unit is a pivotally mounted one or that shown as carried by thepress of the Mestre application, Ser. No. 360,158, filed March 23, 1964,although the unit may be used with other presses not having thisparticular construction.

The inking unit includes a frame 11 of plates suitably secured togetherin spaced relation, shown as being a pivotally mounted inking unit framewhich is separate from the press frame. The ink is fed from an inktrough or reservoir 12 through a series of transfer rolls including anink transfer roll 13 which is rotatably mounted in the frame on a shaft13a. Preferably this transfer roll is an oscillating roll of known formin order to distribute the ink evenly on a pair of spaced form rolls 14and 15 which contact the ink transfer roll and also contact the plate onthe plate cylinder when printing is taking place. Also the inkoscillating roll is driven through a drive connection to the press (notshown). As constructed form roll 14 is a little larger in diameter thanform roll 15 in order to aid more uniform distribution of ink. Each formroll has a roll shaft 16 and 17 respectively on which the roll turns.

Each form roll is rotatably mounted on mounting means which isessentially the same for each roll and similarly numbered. The mountingmeans includes arm means which comprises a pair of spaced arms 18 and 19(FIG. 6) with an arm at each end of its form roll and may be located onthe outside of the frame 11. Each arm 18 and 19 has a bearing 20 and 21respectively provided on each arm to receive its roll shaft. Themounting means is movable longitudinally and pivotally. With the arms onthe outside of the frame, a clearance hole 23 and 24 is provided througheach side plate of the frame to pass the form roll shaft 16 and similarholes are provided for the form roll shaft 17. As constructed arms 18and 19 for the form roll 15 is a little longer than arms 18 and 19 forthe form roll 14 to equalize the distance to the plate cylinder becauseof the difference in diameters of the form rolls.

Actuating means are provided to mount and move each mounting meanslongitudinally and pivotally and hence move the form rolls in the samemanner. The arms for each mounting means :are pivotally mounted oneccentric means, that shown being an eccentric 28 for the arm 18 and aneccentric 29 for the arm 19. The eccentrics 28 and 29 are fixed to aneccentric shaft 30, however, in order to secure independent adjustmentfor each arm, the eccentric 28 is directly secured to the shaft 30 by apin and eccentric 29 is secured to the shaft through its adjustingmeans. The arm means for each mounting means are propelled towards eachother by spring means and hence the form rolls are pivotally propelledinto contact with the ink transfer roll 13. It will be noted therefore,that the form roll arm means or arms are propelled longitudinally by theeccentric means to move the form rolls longitudinally into contact withand away from the plate on the plate cylinder and are pivotal as well onthe eccentric means or eccentrics as will appear.

The adjusting means for the eccentric 28, FIG. 6, adjust thelongitudinal position of the arm 18 includes an eccentric arm 32 securedto 'the eccentric, such as by brazing, and an adjusting arm 33 which hasan arcuate slot 34. A screw 35 carried by the eccentric arm and passingthrough the slot secures the eccentric arm, the adjusting arm and theeccentric in adjusted position. The adjusting means for the eccentric 29includes an adjusting arm 36 which is secured to the shaft such as by ascrew 37, and having an arcuate slot 39. An eccentric arm 38 3 carries ascrew 40 received in the slot. The eccentric 28 is secured to the shaft30 by a pin 41, FIG. 2. The shaft 30 is mounted on the frame by bearings42. The adjusting arm 33 is secured to a pinion 44.

Operating" means are provided to turn the eccentric means for each ofthe two mounting means in unison. The means shown includes a pinion 44free on the shaft 30 for the eccentric means for the mounting means forform roll 14 and a pinion 45 free on its shaft 30 for the eccentricmeans for the mounting means for the form roll 15. A rack 46 is mountedon the frame for reciprocation or oscillation, that shown being astraight rack for straight reciprocation. The frame carries pins 47 and47a each fitting in its slot 48 in the rack and the rack carries teeth49 which mesh with each of the pinions.

Suitable means are provided to shift or oscillate the racklongitudinally that shown being a handle means including a handle 51secured to a shaft 52 turnably mounted in the frame and suitablyconnected with the rack. The connection or'linkage particularly shown isa rack operating rack operating lever 53 having a roller 54 thereonforming a slot'engaging means which engages a slot 55 in atransfer'lever 56. The transfer lever is pivotally mounted on a shaftcarried by the frame, that shown being the ink transfer roll shaft 130,and this lever carries a pin 57 which engages in a slot 58 carried bythe rack. Upon turning of the handle or handle means and handle meansshaft 52 in a counter clockwise direction, the handle shaft and lever 53is turned therewith and by the engagement of the roller 54 in the slot55, the transfer lever 56 is turned in aclockwise direction to shift theck vertically upwardly. Reverse rotation of the handle 'reverses therack movement. With the handle and rack in printing position, shown inFIG. 1, the two eccentric means have moved their respective mountingmeans for arm means longitudinally to the right to bring the form rollsinto contact with the plate on the plate cylinder in which position ink,or ink and fluid, is applied to the plate.

The slot 55 in the transfer lever is preferably provided with a cut out59 or widened portion, shown on each side or edge thereof which has adouble function, namely, the handle means may be turned farther in eachdirection after the rack has been shifted without further shifting ormaterially shifting the rack means, and also the corner, provided by thewidened slot, provides a resistance or lock against rack movement fromback pressure exerted from the form rolls and their engagement with theplate.

The handle or handle means has at least three positions and four areused when the-one handle controls also the application of water or fluidas in the construction illustrated. These positions are located ordefined by suitable means to retain the handle means in each position,that illustrated including a disk or plate 63 secured to the because ofthe curvature of the roll but this is of no materiality.

Upon movement of the handle means with its positroning lever so that thedetent 71 engages in the next retaining recess, the rack may be movedupwardly a little farther, even with the widened portions 59 of the slot55, which also turns the eccentric means to longitudinally move the formroll mounting means a little farther away from the plate or platecylinder, however, this is of no materiality since they have alreadybeen moved out of contact with the plate. The widened portions 59eliminate or practically eliminate such further movement of the rack yetpermit further movement of the handle means. The purpose of thismovement of the handle means from recess 66 to recess 68 is to cut offthe feed of fluid or water to the plate or particularly to a fluidtransfer roll which will be described fully hereinafter. With the handlemeans in the position defined by recess 68, a latch lever 74, which issecured to the handle shaft and hence is a part of the handle means, orparticularly a flange 75 thereon, is in proximity to a latch shoulder 76carried by a latch 77 which is pivotally mounted on a pin carried by theframe and the pin 47a shown is conveniently that guiding the rack. Aspring 78 propels the latch shoulder to the right or counter clockwisceinto a position where it obstructs any further counter clockwisemovement of the latch lever and handle means and prevents inadvertentmovement of the handle means to idle press or night latch position orrecess 65 with the form rolls separated from contact with the inktransfer roll 13, as will be described. The latch lever has a latchrelease handle 79 for removing the latching shoulder 76 from the path ofthe latch lever so that the handle means may be frame by screws 64. Thedisk has at least three arcuately spaced recesses 65, 66 and 67 (FIGS. 1and 4). When fluid is controlled also by the single handle means, thenthere is an additional position and recess 68. A positioning arm 70 issecured to the handle shaft 52 and forms a part of the handle means andprojects into alignment with these recesses when turned and carries aspring pressed detent 71 (FIG. 2) for releasably retaining the lever inthe selected or adjusted position. The four positions or recesses shownon the disk provide an idle press or night latch position 65, a fluiddisconnect position 68, a non-ink position 66 and a printing position67. Upon moving the handle or handle means and its positioning arm fromthe printing position of FIG. 1, to the next adjacent position or recess66, the rack is propelled upwardly and the eccentric means for each ofthe form roll mounting means has been given a substantial turn to movethe mounting means or form roll arms longitudinally to the left, therebymoving the form rolls to the left away from contact with the printingplate or to non-ink position. In this movement the form rolls remain incontact with the ink transfer roll 13 and may move outwardly somewhatturned to recess 65 and the form rolls may be put into idle pressposition when the press will not be used for some time, such asovernight. Hence this latch is a night latch.

With the movement of the handle means from recess 68 to recess 65, meansare provided to separate the form rolls from contact with the inktransfer roll 13. With a construction using separate arms, the means foraccomplishing this is a double land cam means (FIG. 5), including a cam82 on each side of the frame which are secured to the handle shaft 52and the movement of the handle means to recess 65 brings one high pointor land of the cam means into contact with the ends of its arms 18 and19 for form roll 14 and brings the other or opposite high point or landof the cam means into contact with the arms 18 and 19 for the form roll15. Each arm is shown with a rounded surface for engagement by the cam.The cam means pivot the arms of the two mounting means in oppositedirections or outwardly away from each other, with the eccentric meansserving as a pivot, to separate the arms to a greater extent. The formrolls 14 and 15 are moved outwardly therewith and separate the formrolls from contact with the ink transfer roll 13. In this position noink is fed to the form rolls and no pressure is applied between the inktransfer roll and the form rolls which could leave depressions therein.

It is desirable to accurately adjust the position of each form roll intwo respects, namely with respect to the contact with the plate and asto parallelness with respect to the plate. It is for this reason thatthe mounting means for each form roll is preferably a separate arm andan adjustable connection is provided for each eccentric by which thecircular position of the eccentric may be adjusted with respect to itsarm and hence the relative position of the form roll with respect to theplate. It should be noted that adjustment of eccentric 28 (FIG. 6) doesadjust or turn eccentric 29 as well since it is adjustably fixed to theeccentric shaft 30. An adjusting means for each eccentric, however,enables an adjustment to be made as to the parallel position of the formroll with respect to the plate. With the adjusting arm fixed to itsrespective pinion 44 or 45, adjustment of the position of the eccentricarm adjusts the relative position of the eccentric 28 with respect toits pinion and the rack. A scale may be provided at the outer edge ofthe slot to assist in making any adjustment. Thereafter, adjustment ofthe position of the eccentric 29 on the other side of this same mountingmeans adjusts the roll for parallelness with the plate cylinder so thatthe roll contacts the plate uniformly throughout its length. With theadjustment, the eccentric 29 is not directly fixed to the shaft 30 butis connected or fixed therewith through the adjusting means.

Control mechanism is provided to disconnect the feed ing of ink or aratchet ink feed mechanism from the ink feed roll 84 in the inkreservoir or trough 12 when the handle means and form rolls are moved tonon-printing position or to positioning recess 66. This is accomplishedby halting rotation of roll 84 in the ink reservoir. The shaft 85 of theink or pick up roll has a ratchet wheel 86 secured thereto which isengaged by a pawl 87. This pawl is pivotally mounted on a pin 88 carriedon a pawl carrier 89 mounted for oscillation on the roll shaft 85. Thispawl carrier and pawl is oscillated by a link 90 one end of which ispivotally attached to the pawl carrier by a pin 91 and the other end ispivotally connected with a pin 92 carried by an arm 93 secured to ashaft 94 which shaft is continuously rotated by a connection with thepress drive mechanism (not shown). Actually the shaft 94 is rotated 'bya gear 94a which meshes with a gear secured to the oscillating ink roll13. In non-print position, the pawl is raised from contact with theratchet wheel by a pawl lifting means which includes a pawl liftinglever 95 having an arcuate surface 96 which engages a roller 97 carriedby the pawl. In the position of this lever shown in FIG. 4, the pawllifting lever has been turned in a clockwise direction to lift the pawlfrom contact with the ratchet wheel. The pawl lifting lever is pivotallymounted on a pin 98 carried by the frame, and propelled in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 99a. This lever has an extension or arm99 carrying a pin 100 which is received in a notch 101 provided on ashift lever 102. This shift lever is pivotally mounted on a pin 103carried by the rack, the pin being located so that when the rack is down(FIG. 1) or in print position, this pin is down. When the rack is movedto its up position (FIG. 4), the shift lever is pivoted counterclockwise aided by spring 104 to propel the pawl lifting lever in aclockwise direction to lift the pawl upon movement of the handle meansto non-print position or to recess 66. The pawl is restored into contactwith the ratchet wheel upon shifting of the handle means from thenon-print position to the printing position of the handle means orrecess 67. The notch 101 permits disconnection of lever 102 from the pin100 through a handle 105 such as when starting up the press and securinginitial ink distribution. A spring 104 maintains the notch 101 inengagement with the pin.

The inking unit may be provided solely for control of the form rolls inits three positions namely (1) in contact with the plate, (2) a positionaway from the plate but in contact with the ink transfer roll 13 and (3)a position spaced from the ink transfer roll FIG. 4. It is desirablehowever, that the feeding of fluid or water to the plate or fluidtransfer roll be controlled also from the handle means or this onehandle. This is accomplished by fluid control mechanism connected withthe handle means so that movement of the handle from non-print positionor recess 66 to fluid disconnect position or recess 68 on the disk 63,fluid feed is disconnected.

The fluid unit provides a trough or reservoir 108, FIG. 5, of fluidwhich is picked up and fed by a reservoir roll 109. A fluid feed roll110 is rotatably carried on a roll shaft 111. This shaft is carried by alever means including a lever 112 at each end thereof. This lever meansis secured to a shaft 113 mounted for oscillation in an inking unitframe 107 secured to the press frame. This fluid feed roll is oscillatedin such fashion that the period of time in which it is in contact withthe water transfer roll may be varied so that the proper amount of wateris fed to the fluid transfer roll or the plate.

The oscillation of the fluid feed roll is accomplished through a linkagemeans including a lever 116, FIG. 4, secured to the shaft 113 andcarrying a pin 117 for one end of a link 118. This link is connected atits other end by a pin 119 to a motion transfer lever 120 which isrotatably mounted on an eccentric pivot 121 carried by a shaft 122mounted in the frame. This transfer lever is oscillated by a link 123which is connected with the lever by a pin 124. The other end of thelink 123 is connected by a pin 125 to an oscillating lever 126 mountedon a pivot 127 carried by the frame. This lever carries a cam follower128 engaging a cam 129 which is secured to a constantly rotating shaftsuch as the shaft on which the blanket cylinder is secured. Theeccentric mounting for the transfer lever adjusts the position of thelever and fluid feed roll and hence adjusts the period of time in whichthe fluid feed roll 110 is in contact with a fluid transfer roll 130which floats in contact with the form roll 14. In the constructionshown, the ink and fluid is mixed on these rolls.

The fluid disconnect means by which the feeding of fluid isdiscontinued, includes a pin 133, FIGS. 1 and 4, carried by the nightlatch lever 74 which pin is received in a slot 134 carried by a slottedlink 135. One end of this link is attached by a pin 136 to a disconnectca-m lever 137 having a camming surface 138 and an arcuate cam dwell139, which lever 137 is pivotally mounted on pin 47a. A spring 140propels this cam lever in a counter clockwise direction. Normally thisdisconnect cam lever is in the position shown in FIG. 1, Where the camsurface is out of engagement with a cam follower 142 carried by ablocking lever 143 which is pivotally mounted on the frame on a pin 144.This blocking lever has a blocking shoulder 145 which is normally spacedfrom the fluid feed roll lever 116. When the handle means is in nonprintposition or the recess 66, the operating pin 133 is at the lower end ofthe slot 134 so that the fluid control cam lever is now in operativeposition. When the handle means is turned from non-print position tofluid disconnect position or recess 68, the pin engages the end of theslot in the slotted link and pulls the cam lever to rotate the same in aclockwise direction so that the cam 138 propels the blocking lever 143in a clockwise direction and brings its shoulder 145 into abuttingrelation with the oscillating lever 116 for the fluid feed roll 110 andpropels it to a position where the roll is held away from the fluidtransfer roll 130. The arcuate cam dwell 139 continues to hold thislever in this position when the handle means is moved to idle press ornight latch position.

In order to give the form roll arm 18 additional lateral support at itsend, it is received in the slot of a slotted bushing or member 149. Theend of the form roll arm 19 issimilarly received in a slot in a slottedbushing or member 150. The bushing 149 also serves as a spacing bushingfor the disk 63.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in controlmechanism for an inking unit for a printing press and also thecombination with a fluid unit. It is understood that variousmodifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation,assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled inthe art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention.This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying theinvention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

1. A control mechanism for at least the form rolls of an inking unit fora press having a plate cylinder on which a plate is adapted to bemounted comprising a frame; roll means to transfer ink to the plateincluding a pair of spaced form rolls, and an ink transfer rollrotatably mounted on the frame in a position to be engaged by the twoform rolls; mounting means for each form roll rotatably mounting eachform roll including a pair of spaced arms, and a bearing in each arm forrotatably mounting the ends of its respective form roll; actuating meansfor each mounting means carried by the frame, each actuating means beingconnected with its mounting means for movement of the form rolls towardsand away from the plate; spring means connected with each mounting meansto propel the arms of the mounting means and form rolls in a directiontowards each other; and handle means mounted on the frame including ahandle having at least a printing position and a non-ink position and anidle press position, operating means between the handle and the twoactuating means to actuate the latter in unison to move the arms and theform rolls to shift the latter to and from contact with the plate onmovement of the handle between printing position and non-ink position,cam means operatively connected with the handle and operativelyconnected with each mounting means in idle press position of the handleto separate the form rolls from contact with the ink transfer roll, anda latch lever; a movable latch carried by the frame in a position to beengaged by the latch lever and prevent inadvertent movement of thehandle means to idle press position.

2. A control mechanism for at least the form rolls of an inking unit fora press having a plate cylinder on which a plate is adapted to bemounted comprising a frame; roll means to transfer ink to the plateincluding a pair of spaced form rolls, and an ink transfer rollr-otatably mounted on the frame in a position to be engaged by the twoform rolls; mounting means for each form roll rotatably mounting eachform roll including a pair of spaced arms, and a bearing in each arm forrotatably mounting the ends of its respective form roll; actuating meansfor each mounting means carried by the frame and mounting its mountingmeans for pivotal movement and longitudinal movement, the actuatingmeans being spaced from each other and the bearings; spring meansconnected with each mounting means to propel the arms of the mountingmeans and form rolls in a direction towards each other; and handle meansmounted on the frame including a handle having at least a printingposition and a non-ink position and an idle press position, operatingmeans between the handle and the two actuating means to actuate the samein unison and longitudinally move the arms and the form rolls to shiftthe latter to and from contact with the plate on movement of the handlebetween printing position and non-ink position, and cam meansoperatively connected with the handle and operatively connected witheach mounting means in movement of the handle to idle press position topivotally separate the arms of each mounting means farther apart andseparate the form rolls from contact with the ink transfer roll.

3. A control mechanism for at least the form rolls of an inking unit fora press having a plate cylinder on which a plate is adapted to bemounted comprising a frame, roll means to transfer ink to the plateincluding a pair of spaced form rolls, and an ink transfer rollrotatably mounted on the frame in a position to be engaged by the twoform rolls; mounting means for each form roll rotatably mounting eachform roll including a pair of spaced arms, and a bearing in each arm forrotatably mounting the ends of its respective form roll; eccentric meansfor each mounting means oscillatably carried by the frame and mountingits mounting means for pivotal movement and longitudinal movement, theeccentric means being spaced from each other and the bearings, andspring means connected with each mounting means to propel the arms ofthe mounting means and form rolls in a direction towards each other; andhandle means mounted on the frame including a handle having at least aprinting position and a non-ink position and an idle press position,operating means between the handle and the two eccentric means tooscillate the latter in unison and longitudinally move the arms and theform rolls to shift the latter to and from contact with the plate onmovement of the handle between printing position and non-ink position,and cam means operatively connected with the handle and operativelyconnected with each mounting means in idle press position of the handleto pivotally separate the arms farther apart and separate the form rollsfrom contact with the ink transfer roll.

4. A control mechanism as in claim 3 in which the handle means ismounted on the frame in a plane between the arms of the mounting means,and the cam means being secured to the handle.

5. A control mechanism as in claim 4 in which the handle means ismounted on the frame between the outer ends of the spaced arms of eachform roll mounting means, and the cam means engaging the spaced arms ata point spaced from :the eccentric means to spread the same in themovement of the handle to idle press position.

6. A control mechanism as in claim 3 in which the connection between thehandle means and the eccentric means includes a shaft mounted in theframe for each of the eccentric means, the shafts being spaced from eachother, a pinion connected with each shaft, rack means mounted on theframe for reciprocal movement and meshing with the two pinions, and alinkage between the handle means and the rack means to shift the latter.

7. A control mechanism as in claim 6 in which the linkage includes atransfer lever pivotally mounted at its center and having one endoperatively connected with the rack and the other end having a slot withedges, the slot widening at its opposite edges providing a non-rootionportion and a locking edge, and the handle means carrying aslot-engaging means engaging in the slot to pivot the transfer lever.

8. A control mechanism as in claim 3 including a latch lever connectedwith the handle, and a movable latch located to be engaged by the latchlever to prevent inadvertent movement of the latter to idle pressposition.

9. A control mechanism as in claim 7 including in combination an inkreservoir, a reservoir roll mounted in the ink reservoir; ratchet meansto turn the reservoir roll including a ratchet wheel, a pawl carrier,and a pawl pivotally mounted on the carrier for oscillation; a pawllifting lever pivotally mounted on the frame and having a pawl liftingarm positioned to engage the pawl, and means carried by the rack topivot the pawl lifting lever to raise and lower the pawl when the rackis moved.

10. A control mechanism as in claim 9 in which the means to pivot thepawl lifting lever is a notched lever pivotally mounted on the rackmeans and having a notch, a pin carried by the pawl lifting lever andengaging the notch, and spring means attached to the notched lever andthe rack ropelling said lever in a direction to retain the pin in thenotch.

11. A control mechanism as in claim 3 in which the arms of each mountingmeans are separate arms; and the eccentric means includes an eccentricmeans shaft, an eccentric for each arm carried by the eccentric meansshaft, and an adjustable connection between the eccentric means shaftand each eccentric on the shaft.

12. A control mechanism as in claim 6 in which the arms of each mountingmeans are separate arms; and the eccentric means includes an eccentricmeans shaft, an eccentric for each arm carried by the eccentric meansshaft, an eccentric for each arm carried by the eccentric shaft, anadjustable connection between the pinion and one eccentric, and anadjustable connection between the eccentric shaft and the othereccentric.

13. A control mechanism as in claim 3 in combination with a fluid unit,the handle means having a fluid disconnect position between non-inkposition and idle press position, fluid supply means, roll means totransfer fluid to a form roll including a fluid transfer roll mounted onthe frame in engagement with a form roll, a dampening roll, dampeningroll mounting means mounting the dampening roll for movement towards andaway from the fluid transfer roll, and a blocking connection between thehandle means and the dampening roll mounting means to block the latterand holding the dampening roll away from contact with the fluid transferroll.

14. A control mechanism as in claim 13, including a movable latchpositioned to be engaged by the handle means when in fluid disconnectposition.

15. A control mechanism as in claim 13 in which the blocking connectionincludes a camming lever pivotally mounted on the frame and having a camsurface, a slotted link having an elongated slot, a blocking leverpivotally mounted on the frame and engaging the cam surface, and ablocking arm carried by the blocking lever movable into blockingposition with respect to the dampening roll mounting means, a slot pincarried by the handle means and engaging in the slot, and the slothaving one end engaged by the pin in the movement of the handle fromnon-printing position to fluid disconnect position to pivot the camminglever.

16. A control mechanism as in claim 15 including a latch lever securedto the handle, a movable lacth positioned to be engaged by the latchlever when the handle is in fluid disconnect position, and the slot pinis carried on the latch lever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,784 6/1931Fischer 101--144 X 2,546,793 3/1951 Sodomka 101142 2,653,537 9/1953Peyrebrune 101-352 X 2,821,911 2/1958 Mestre 101148 X 2,915,970 12/1959Mestre 101352 X FOREIGN PATENTS 252,927 6/1926 Great Britain. 481,3063/1938 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner H. P. EWELL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CONTROL MECHANISM FOR AT LEAST THE FORM ROLLS OF AN INKING UNIT FORA PRESS HAVING A PLATE CYLINDER ON WHICH A PLATE IS ADAPTED TO BEMOUNTED COMPRISING A FRAME; ROLL MEANS TO TRANSFER INK TO THE PLATEINCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED FORM ROLLS, AND AN INK TRANSFER ROLLROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME IN A POSITION TO BE ENGAGED BY THE TWOFORM ROLLS; MOUNTING MEANS FOR EACH FORM ROLL ROTATABLY MOUNTING EACHFORM ROLL INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS, AND A BEARING IN EACH ARM FORROTATABLY MOUNTING THE ENDS OF ITS RESPECTIVE FORM ROLLS; ACTUATINGMEANS FOR EACH MOUNTING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME, EACH ACTUATING MEANSBEING CONNECTED WITH ITS MOUNTING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OF THE FORM ROLLSTOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE PLATE; SPRING MEANS CONNECTED WITH EACHMOUNTING MEANS TO PROPEL THE ARMS OF THE MOUNTING MEANS AND FORM ROLLSIN A DIRECTION TOWARDS EACH OTHER; AND HANDLE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE FRAMEINCLUDING A HANDLE HAVING AT LEAST A PRINTING POSITION AND A NON-INKPOSITION AND AN IDLE PRESS POSITION, OPERATING MEANS BETWEEN THE HANDLEAND THE TWO ACTUATING MEANS TO ACTUATE THE LATTER IN UNISON TO MOVE THEARMS AND THE FORM ROLLS TO SHIFT THE LATTER TO AND FROM CONTACT WITH THEPLATE ON MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE BETWEEN PRINTING POSITION AND NON-INKPOSITION, CAM MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE HANDLE ANDOPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH EACH MOUNTING MEANS IN IDLE PRESS POSITION OFTHE HANDLE TO SEPARATE THE FORM ROLLS FROM CONTACT WITH THE INK TRANSFERROLL, AND A LATCH LEVER; A MOVABLE LATCH CARRIED BY THE FRAME IN APOSITION TO BE ENGAGED BY THE LATCH LEVER AND PREVENT INADVERTENTMOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE MEANS TO IDLE PRESS POSITION.